Watchman&#39;s signaling device.



A. S. GRAY.

WATCHMANS SIGNALING DEVICE.

APPLICATION HLE D DEC. I0. I9I7.

Patented Dec. 24, 1918.

ARTHUR S.

GRAY,

0F PIQUA, OHIO.

WATCHMANS SIGNALING DEVICE.

Application filed December 10, 1917.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I ARTHUR S. GRAY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Piqua, in the county of Miami and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Watchmens Signaling Devices; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to watchmens signals and has for its object to provide a device of this nature which will be simple in construction, comparatively inexpensive to manufacture, and more efiicient in action than those heretofore proposed.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in the novel details of construction and combinations of parts more fully hereinafter disclosed and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which like numerals designate like parts in all the views Figure 1 is an elevational view of a signal made in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view, in side elevation, taken on the line 22 of Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, but illustrating a somewhat modified form of the invention;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4:, but illustrating a further modified form of the invention.

Fig. 6 illustrates a modification of the invention in which a signal bell is carried by the handle; and

Fig. 7 illustrates another form of the invention employing a signal bell.

In order that the precise invention may be the more clearly understood it is said It is well known that watchmen at railroad crossings and at other places, are provided with signs which they hold up to warn pedestrians and others of the approach of a Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 24, 1918.

Serial No. 206,459.

train, but these said signs are usually rigid with the handles, by which they are held,

and it seems to be a habit with watchmen to hold said signs either vertically above their heads, in which case the lettering thereon can be easily read, or they will hold the signs at right angles to their bodies at which position the lettering on said signs will be turned at right angles to the first mentioned position, and therefore, more or less difficult to read, while further, it is often observed that the watchmen Will let said signs hang down vertically toward their feet in which case the lettering will be upside down, and therd'efore, the sign rendered very (liflicult to rea It is the object of this invention, more specifically stated, to overcome the above objections by providing a sign which will always have its lettering right side up, and therefore, easy to read, no matter in what position the watchman may hold it, as will now be disclosed.

1 indicates any suitble handle provided with a pivot 2 on which is mounted a pair of disks 3 and 4, each of which is provided with a weighted part 5, and a sign carrying part 6 as shown.

The pivot 2 is preferably made separate from the handle 1, as indicated 1n Fig. 8, and may be conveniently provided with a head 7, a screw threaded end 8, a nut 9 fitting said screw threaded end, a Washer 10 located between said head 7 and one of the disks, and a washer 11 located between said nut 9, and the other of said disks.

But, of course, other constructions may be adopted if desired. The parts are loosely but snugly fitted together and the nut 9 is so adjusted that no matter in what position the handle 1 is held, the weights 5 will readily gravitate downward, and thus cause the sign carrying portions 6 of each disk to stand uppermost as indicated in Fig. 1.

Stated in other language, should the iwatchman hold the handle 1 vertically above his head the signal 12 will stand uppermost with its lettering horizontal, as indicated in Fig. 1. Should now the watchman hold the sign or handle 1 horizontally out from his body, as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig.

1, the said weighted portions 5 will move relatively to said handle 1, through an angle of 90, and the sign 12 will still remain horizontal with its lettering in the position shown in Fig. 1.

Should the watchman now let the sign drop toward his feet in such a position that the handle 1, stands vertically .up and down, there will take place a still further relative movement of 90 between said handle 1 and the weighted portions 5 of the disks 3 and a, and said lettering 12 will still remain in the same position as that illustrated.

There being two disks 3 and 4: each of which carries letters such as 12, and the handle 1, being located between said disks, it is not possible for the handle to obscure the lettering on said disks no matter what position it may occupy.

It thus results that the danger signal whether it be lettering, a red color painted on the disks, a signal light, or whatever it may be, by the construction illustrated, it will always be shown to the very best ad vantage notwithstanding the manner in which the watchman or other attendant may hold the Same.

In the somewhat modified form of the invention shown in Fig. 4, the construction is substantially the same as that just described except the pivots 15 are integral with the hub 16 015 the handle 1, and'two nuts 17 are provided instead of a head 7, and a nut 5, as is the case in Fig. 3. The operation, however, of this modified form of invention is substantially the same as that just disclosed.

In the still further modified form of the invention illustrated in Fig. 5, each disk is provided with an inwardly extended pivoting portion 20 through which passes the pivot pin 2, and the hub 21 of the handle 1 encircles said'hollow pivot member 20 as illustrated. Suitable shoulders 23 are provided on the disks against which the edges of the hub 21 take, and therefore, a snug fit with said disks is had which renders the rotation of the same even and certain.

In the form of the invention shown in Fig. 6 the parts are ormay be substantiallyv the same as those in the preceding figures,

to be closed by a member 40 is provided between said battery and bell, and the clapper 36 is adapted when in the position shown to strike the sounding members 37 and 38 carried respectively by the disks 3 and a, so as to provide a loud signal or it may strike said disks 3 and at themselves to provide a signal of a difierent tone when said disks are turned relatively to said handle, in the manner above disclosed.

It will be observed that in all the forms of the invention, the parts are easily, and comparatively inexpensively manufactured because they may be either drop-forged or cast, and that they require a minimum of machining in any case.

It is obvious that those skilled in the art may vary the details of the construction without departing fromcthe spirit of the invention, and therefore, I do not wish to be limited to the above disclosure except as may be required by the claims.

What I claim is 1. In a watchmans signal the combination of a handle; a pivot carried by said handle; a pair of disks provided with a signal car'- ried by said pivot and adapted to turn relatively to said handle; and a weight associated with said disks adapted to automatically maintain said signal in an upright position as said disks are turned relatively and in addition, I provide the handle 1 with any suitable form of bell 30. This bell may be of the well known mechanical type in which case the member, or lever 31 may be used to perate it, or it may be of the electric type in which case a battery such as 33 will be carriedby the handle 1, as is illustrated in Fig. 7, and the member 31 em loyed to close a circuit such as 34:.

In the form of the invention shown in Fig, 7, the bell 35 is carried by the hub 16 of the handle 1, a battery 33 is also carried by said handle, a circuit 34 adapted of a handle; a pivot carried by said handle; disks mounted on said pivot one on each side of said handle, and one of said disks being provided with a signal; and a weight associated with each disk adapted to auto-' matically turn said disks when said handle occupies difi'erent positions, and maintain said signal upright, substantially as described.

3. In a wat'chmans signal the combination of a handle provided with a hub; a pivot loosely mounted in said hub; a pair of disks providedwith signs one on each side of said handle and loosely mounted on said pivot; and a weight adapted to keep said signs upright integral with each disk, substantially as described.

4'. In a watchmans signal the combination of a handle; a pivot associated with said handle; a disk provided with a visual signal adapted to turn relative to said handle; a weight carried by said disk adapted to automatically turn the latter and maintain said signal in an upright position when said relative turning between said handle and disk takes place; and an audible signal associated with said handle adapted to call attention to said visual s gnal, substantially as described.

5. In a watchmans signal the combination 7 of a handle; a pivot associated with said Y adapted to turn relative to said handle; a tention to said visual signal, substantially as weight carried by said disk adapted to autodescribed. 10 matically turn the latter and maintain said In testimony whereof I affix my signature, signal in an upright position when said in presence of two witnesses.

relative turning between said handle and ARTHUR S. GRAY. disk takes place; and an audible electric Witnesses:

signal located between said disks and asso- JoHN'J. STEWART,

ciated with said handle adapted to call at- MABnL KUNKEL,

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0. 

